Minnesota Scenic Byways are a system of roads in the U.S. state of

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

which pass through areas of scenic, cultural, or recreational significance. There are currently 22 scenic byways in the system with a total length of . Eight of these byways are also designated as

National Scenic Byway A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by Co ...

s, and the

North Shore Scenic Drive North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

is further designated as an All-American Road. Minnesota's scenic byway program was established in 1992 as a joint effort between the

Minnesota Department of Transportation The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT, ) oversees transportation by all modes including land, water, air, rail, walking and bicycling in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state' ...

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recre ...

, Minnesota Office of Tourism, and

Minnesota Historical Society The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehoo ...

. The Minnesota Scenic Byways Commission began designating byways in 1994.

Byways

Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway

Apple Blossom Drive Scenic Byway is a route in southeastern Minnesota that runs from La Crescent to

U.S. Highway 61 U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...

north of Donehower. The highway meets the

Great River Road The Great River Road is a collection of state and local roads that follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States. They are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Miss ...

at both ends and provides access to

Great River Bluffs State Park Great River Bluffs State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River southeast of Winona. Originally known as O. L. Kipp State Park, it was renamed in the late 1990s to describe better its resources. The park pr ...

. As its name suggests, many apple orchards are along the highway.

Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway

Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway consists of the entirety of Minnesota State Highway 46, a road which connects

U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, whi ...

in Deer River to the south with

Minnesota State Highway 1 Minnesota State Highway 1 (MN 1) is a state highway across northern Minnesota, United States, which runs from North Dakota Highway 54 (ND 54) at the North Dakota state line (at the Red River in Oslo) and continues east to its eastern termin ...

in Northome. The route passes through the Chippewa National Forest and provides views of pine stands and several lakes, including

Lake Winnibigoshish Lake Winnibigoshish is a body of water in north central Minnesota in the Chippewa National Forest. Its name comes from the Ojibwe language ''Wiinibiigoonzhish'', a diminutive and pejorative form of ''Wiinibiig'', meaning "filthy water" (i.e., "br ...

Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway

Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway consists of the entirety of Minnesota State Highway 38, a road which links

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

with

in Effie. A former logging road, the byway passes several lakes and enters the Chippewa National Forest.

Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway

Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway is a route in central Minnesota with several loops and spurs. The landscape along the route was formed by glaciers, the evidence of which can be seen in its many

glacial lake A glacial lake is a body of water with origins from glacier activity. They are formed when a glacier erodes the land and then melts, filling the depression created by the glacier. Formation Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,0 ...

s and ridges.

Sibley State Park Sibley State Park is a Minnesota state park near New London, on the shores of Lake Andrew. It is named for Henry Hastings Sibley, the first governor of the state. A city park in Mankato, Minnesota is also named for Sibley. The rustic style stone ...

, Monson Lake State Park, and Glacial Lakes State Park are along the byway.

Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

Grand Rounds-Great River Road-2005-06-06

Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway is a network of roads, bicycle paths, and pedestrian paths in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

and its neighboring suburbs. The byway begins in downtown Minneapolis and follows the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

to the city's southern edge before looping along its western and northern borders. It connects downtown attractions, numerous parks and historic sites, and the city's Chain of Lakes.

Great River Road National Scenic Byway

The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River on both banks from its source in Minnesota to its mouth in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, entering ten states in total. The Minnesota portion of the road connects its source at Itasca State Park to the

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

border in the state's southeastern tip. Along the way, the road passes through twenty of the state's counties and several of its major cities, including both

and St. Paul.

Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway

Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway is a road following County Road 12 in Cook County, Minnesota's northeastern tip. The byway begins in Grand Marais and passes through Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Many recreational opportunities exist along the road, including lakes with fishing and canoe access, hiking trails, and campsites.

Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway

Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway is an alternate designation for Minnesota State Highway 16, an highway in southeastern Minnesota. The route follows the Root River through the hills, bluffs, and valleys of the Driftless Area. The river provides fishing, canoeing, and other recreational opportunities. Much of Minnesota's

Amish The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches ...

population lives along the route.

Highway 75 King of Trails Scenic Byway

The Highway 75 King of Trails Scenic Byway includes all of U.S. Highway 75's route through western Minnesota. The highway passes through Minnesota's prairie regions and passes Pipestone National Monument as well as multiple state parks.

Lady Slipper Scenic Byway

Lady Slipper Scenic Byway is a route between

in Cass Lake and

U.S. Highway 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...

in Blackduck. The route passes through the Chippewa National Forest and features views of many lakes and forested areas. It also provides access to the

Rabideau CCC Camp The Rabideau CCC Camp was a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in the Chippewa National Forest in northern Minnesota, United States. It is located off Beltrami County Highway 39, in Taylor Township, Beltrami County, Minnesota, Taylor Township ...

. Its name comes from the

lady slipper Cypripedioideae is a subfamily of orchids commonly known as lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids. Cypripedioideae includes the genera ''Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium'' and ''Selenipedium''. T ...

s which bloom in the area in summer.

Lake Country Scenic Byway

Lake Country Scenic Byway is a three-legged route in north central Minnesota. Its legs meet in Park Rapids and lead to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, Itasca State Park, and Walker. The route passes many of Minnesota's lakes and provides birdwatching opportunities through access to the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail and

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States. It lies in the glacial lake country of northwestern Minnesota in Becker County, northeast of Detroit Lakes. It was established in 1938 as a refuge breeding gr ...

Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway

Lake Mille Lacs Scenic Byway is a road encircling

Lake Mille Lacs Mille Lacs Lake (also called Lake Mille Lacs or Mille Lacs) is a large but shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly 75 miles north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul m ...

. The road includes parts of Minnesota State Highway 18,

Minnesota State Highway 27 Minnesota State Highway 27 (MN 27) is a state highway in west-central and east-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 28 in Browns Valley and continues east to its interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) in M ...

Minnesota State Highway 47 Minnesota State Highway 47 (MN 47) is a highway in east–central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with ''Central Avenue'' ( State Highway 65) in Minneapolis and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S. ...

, and

Minnesota State Highway 169 Minnesota State Highway 169 (MN 169) is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with U.S. Highway 53 in Wuori Township (immediately north of the city of Virginia) and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the ...

. Attractions along the byway include

Father Hennepin State Park Father Hennepin State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, located on the southeast corner of Mille Lacs Lake. The park is named after Father Louis Hennepin, a priest who visited the area with a French expedition in 1680. The park has 103 c ...

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, also known as Kathio Site, is a Minnesota List of Minnesota state parks, state park on Mille Lacs Lake. The park preserves habitation sites and mound groups, believed to date between 3000 BC and 1750 AD, that docum ...

, views of the lake and

Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Mille can refer to: People * Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician * Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player Places * Mille Lacs County, Minnesota * Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. * Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River in ...

, and several historic sites.

Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway

Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway is a highway following the

Minnesota River The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It ris ...

from its source at Big Stone Lake to Belle Plaine. The route passes through several small riverside towns and access points to canoeing on the river. It also connects several historic sites related to the

Dakota people The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

and the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

North Shore All-American Scenic Drive

North Shore Scenic Drive is a route that follows the North Shore of

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

between Duluth and Grand Portage. While much of the route is shared with

Minnesota State Highway 61 Minnesota State Highway 61 (MN 61) is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from a junction with Interstate 35 (I-35) in Duluth at 26th Avenue East, and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the Canadian border near Grand Portag ...

, it follows county highways which run closer to the lake along its southern portions. The byway links seven of Minnesota's state parks, Split Rock Lighthouse, historic sites related to the fishing and fur trading industries, and the

Superior Hiking Trail The Superior Hiking Trail, also known as the SHT, is a long hiking trail in northeastern Minnesota that follows the rocky ridges overlooking Lake Superior for most of its length. The trail travels through forests of birch, aspen, pine, fir, and ...

Otter Trail Scenic Byway

Otter Trail Scenic Byway is a loop route in

Otter Tail County Otter Tail County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population was 60,081. Its county seat is Fergus Falls. Otter Tail County comprises the Fergus Falls micropolitan statistical area. With 1,048 lakes in it ...

. The route passes Glendalough State Park, Maplewood State Park, and hundreds of lakes. It also runs through several of the county's main cities, including the county seat of

Fergus Falls Fergus Falls is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History The falls from which the city gets par ...

, and historic sites.

Paul Bunyan National Scenic Byway

Paul Bunyan National Scenic Byway is a route through central Minnesota. The highway, which takes its name from the legend of Paul Bunyan, runs through an area with numerous lakes and connects the resort towns of Crosslake, Pequot Lakes, and Pine River. Recreational opportunities along the byway include fishing, cycling, hiking, and bird watching.

Saint Croix Scenic Byway

Taylors Falls Minnesota downtown looking north MN95 St Croix Scenic Byway

Saint Croix Scenic Byway is a route that follows the St. Croix River, which forms part of Minnesota's eastern border. The route runs from

U.S. Highway 10 U.S. Route 10 or U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) is an east–west United States highway located in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Unlike most U.S. routes with "0" as the last digit of its route number, US 10 ...

near

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

Sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

. The byway connects the flatter landscapes of southern Minnesota with the forested, hilly landscapes of northern Minnesota.

Shooting Star Scenic Byway

Shooting Star Scenic Byway is a route which follows part of Minnesota State Highway 56 in southern Minnesota. One of the first scenic byways designated for

wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...

viewing, the route provides views of wildflowers and native grasses managed by the

Lake Louise State Park Lake Louise State Park is a Minnesota state park just north of the Iowa border near the small town of Le Roy in Mower County, Minnesota, directly south of Rochester. It has a 25 acre man-made lake and of mixed prairie and deciduous forest. ...

and several small towns are along the byway.

Skyline Parkway

Skyline Parkway is a route overlooking Duluth and

. The byway provides scenic views, birdwatching at Hawk Ridge, and access to mountain biking and hiking paths. Numerous

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...

s can be seen from the route.

Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

Superior National Forest Scenic Byway is a through the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. Passing through a sparsely populated area, the byway provides scenic forest views and access to

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

watching and boating sites. Historic sites such as the Toimi School and the Timber Arch Bridge can also be found along the route.

Veterans Evergreen Memorial Drive

Veterans Evergreen Memorial Drive is a route following

Minnesota State Highway 23 Minnesota State Highway 23 (MN 23) is a state highway that stretches from southwestern to northeastern Minnesota. At in length, it is the second longest state route in Minnesota, after MN 1. This route, signed east–west, runs roughl ...

from

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...

Banning State Park Banning State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, stretched along of the Kettle River near Sandstone in Pine County. The centerpiece of the park is of churning rapids, some up to Class IV. The daring kayakers and canoeists who shoot ...

to Duluth. The highway serves as a scenic bypass of Interstate 35 for travelers between the Twin Cities and Duluth. It also crosses several rivers and creeks with fishing and canoeing access.

Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway

Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway runs for near Minnesota's northern border, linking the

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

border with Voyageurs National Park. The western section of the byway, between North Dakota and

Warroad Warroad is a city in Roseau County, Minnesota, United States, at the southwest corner of Lake of the Woods, south of Canada. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census. Warroad had its own newspaper before it was incorporated in 1901. Minne ...

follows the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail, which features birdwatching opportunities. The section from Warroad to

Baudette Baudette is a city in, and the county seat of, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,106, and in 2018 the population was estimated at 1,003. Baudette is known as the Walleye Capital of th ...

passes through areas full of wildflowers, particularly

s. A spur from Baudette connects the route to

Zippel Bay State Park Zippel Bay State Park is a state park in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota in the United States. It is on the white sand beach shoreline of the Lake of the Woods, near the United States border with Canada. The park is open for year-round recrea ...

. East of Baudette, the route follows the Rainy River, a popular fishing site. The byway's name comes from a nickname for the Aurora Borealis, which can be seen from many points along the route.

References

External links

Minnesota Scenic Byways
{{Scenic Byways Scenic byways